Movie

Curly Sue

1991 · 102 min

A gentle, sentimental comedy-drama about unlikely family bonds, with a few laughs and a lot of heart, though it feels a bit formulaic.

Tagline: A funny story about a family... And the little girl who started it.
Overview: Bill is a penniless drifter who scams strangers out of just enough money to feed himself and his partner in crime, an orphan girl known as Curly Sue. Bill and Curly Sue target Grey, a yuppie lawyer, but their con takes an unexpected turn when the successful woman begins to like the ramshackle duo. But there's one problem—Grey's jealous, conniving boyfriend, Walker.

Search YouTube for the trailer

Rent or buy in the UK

Apple TV Store
Amazon Video
Sky Store

More options Data from JustWatch

In your watch list

How it feels

Written by AI. It can be wrong.

Tone: warmstrength 2 of 3
earneststrength 2 of 3
melancholicstrength 1 of 3
lightstrength 1 of 3
Pacing: measured, 2 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
Attention: easy-watch, 2 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
Themes: found family
parenthood
class
love
redemption
Places: big city
home
Era: contemporary
Audience: family
Form: None
Content intensity: Gore none
Language mild
Violence mild
Sex mild

All scales, 0 to 10

Scales, 0 to 10
Scale	Value	0 to 10
Action	2
Horror	0
Humour	6
Realism	6
Romance	5
Tension	3
Darkness	4
Complexity	3
Emotional weight	6

Titles like Curly Sue

Movie

Uncle Buck

1989

A warm, loose-limbed comedy that ambles through domestic chaos, letting you laugh at the mess and feel the tug of family.

Same writer: John Hughes · Warm, earnest · about parenthood and love

Also: Same writer: John Hughes
Via: warm
earnest
parenthood
love
Pacing: measured
Attention: easy-watch
Runtime: 100 min

Details In your watch list

Uncle BuckHidden from your suggestions.

Movie

The Kid

1921

A tender, funny tearjerker that blends slapstick with heartbreak, leaving you both laughing and reaching for a tissue.

Warm, earnest · about found family and parenthood

Via: warm
earnest
found family
parenthood
Pacing: measured
Attention: engaged
Runtime: 68 min

Details In your watch list

The KidHidden from your suggestions.

TV series

The Office

2005–2013

A warm, cringe-inducing workplace comedy that makes you laugh and squirm as you grow fond of its oddball characters.

Warm · about found family and love

Via: warm
found family
love
Pacing: measured
Attention: easy-watch
Seasons: 9

Details In your watch list

The OfficeHidden from your suggestions.

Movie

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

1987

A warm, funny road-trip comedy that balances slapstick mishaps with genuine sentiment and a touching friendship.

Same writer: John Hughes · Warm, earnest · about class

Also: Same writer: John Hughes
Via: warm
earnest
class
Pacing: brisk
Attention: easy-watch
Runtime: 92 min

Details In your watch list

Planes, Trains and AutomobilesHidden from your suggestions.

Movie

Pawn

2020

A gentle, bittersweet story that slowly builds an unlikely family bond, mixing light comedy with tender emotional moments.

Warm, earnest · about found family and parenthood

Via: warm
earnest
found family
parenthood
Pacing: measured
Attention: engaged
Runtime: 113 min

Details In your watch list

PawnHidden from your suggestions.

Movie

Ideal Home

2018

A breezy, bickering comedy that sneaks into your heart with its messy, makeshift family.

Warm · about found family and parenthood

Via: warm
found family
parenthood
Pacing: measured
Attention: easy-watch
Runtime: 91 min

Details In your watch list

Ideal HomeHidden from your suggestions.

Movie

The Breakfast Club

1985

A talky, heartfelt hangout that slowly reveals the vulnerable kids behind the high-school stereotypes.

Same writer: John Hughes · Warm, earnest · about class

Also: Same writer: John Hughes
Via: warm
earnest
class
Pacing: measured
Attention: engaged
Runtime: 98 min

Details In your watch list

The Breakfast ClubHidden from your suggestions.

Movie

My Name is Niki

1952

A gentle, sentimental postwar charmer where a gruff old man's heart quietly melts around a small child.

Warm, earnest · about found family and parenthood

Via: warm
earnest
found family
parenthood
Pacing: measured
Attention: easy-watch
Runtime: 101 min

Details In your watch list

My Name is NikiHidden from your suggestions.

Movie

Pretty in Pink

1986

A tender, wistful teen romance steeped in eighties pop, where class anxiety and first love ache with sincere, slightly awkward sweetness.

Same writer: John Hughes · Warm, earnest · about class and love

Also: Same writer: John Hughes
Via: warm
earnest
class
love
Pacing: measured
Attention: easy-watch
Runtime: 97 min

Details In your watch list

Pretty in PinkHidden from your suggestions.

Movie

Instant Family

2018

A warm, funny, bumpy ride through foster care that earns its tears without ever getting too heavy.

Warm, earnest · about found family and parenthood

Via: warm
earnest
found family
parenthood
Pacing: measured
Attention: easy-watch
Runtime: 118 min

Details In your watch list

Instant FamilyHidden from your suggestions.

Movie

Paper Moon

1973

A gentle, bittersweet ramble through hard times, carried by a sharp child and a lovable rogue, funny and tender without ever getting saccharine.

Warm, earnest · about found family and class

Via: warm
earnest
found family
class
Pacing: measured
Attention: engaged
Runtime: 102 min

Details In your watch list

Paper MoonHidden from your suggestions.

Movie

Win Win

2011

A gentle, character-driven comedy-drama that balances warmth and quiet desperation, with a lived-in feel and a big heart.

Warm, earnest · about found family and class

Via: warm
earnest
found family
class
Pacing: measured
Attention: engaged
Runtime: 106 min

Details In your watch list

Win WinHidden from your suggestions.

Where to watch in the UK

Rent or buy

Apple TV Store
Amazon Video
Sky Store
YouTube

Streaming data from JustWatch.All options on TMDB

Details

Genres: comedy, drama, family, romance
Directed by: John Hughes
Written by: John Hughes
Starring: Jim Belushi, Kelly Lynch, Alisan Porter, John Getz, Fred Thompson, Cameron Thor, Branscombe Richmond, Steve Carell
Music: Georges Delerue
Cinematography: Jeffrey L. Kimball
Runtime: 102 min
Country: United States of America
Languages: English

TMDB IMDb Letterboxd Wikipedia Wikidata

Something wrong on this page? Tell us.

Curly Sue

How it feels

More like this

Titles like Curly Sue

Where to watch in the UK

Details